Magazine shaver



Dec. 13', 1949 P. H. BORDEN 2,490,775

MAGAZINE. SHAVER Filed March 3, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 13, 1949 H, BORDEN 2,490,775

' MAGAZINE SHAVER Filed March 5, 1948 5 sheets sheet s Patented Dec. 13, 1949 MAGAZINE SHAVER Philip H. Borden, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to Central Industrial Corporation,

Memphis,

Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Application March 3, 1948, Serial No. 12,779

7 Claims.

This invention relates to razors of the type generally known as safety razors, and particularly relates to a device of this kind which includes a case in which is disposed a belt-like strip of inter-connected blades with manually operable means for shifting the belt to bring the blades in succession into cutting position and remove them from such position and in similar manner replace them with additional blades.

The shaver includes an elongated case of rectangular cross-section in which the strip of blades is disposed, the case having at one end thereof an opening or mouth with respect to which the blades are positioned and through which they are projected into cutting position, and from which position they are removed when they become dull and it is desired to replace them.

The objects of the invention are:

To provide a razor of magazine type including a case with blades housed therein which is adapted to be sold as a unit, and when the blades have been used to be thrown away and replaced by a similar unit;

To provide a magazine razor in which the blades are housed and protected and are shifted for use and replacement without being touched by the hand; and

To provide a device of this kind which is simple and inexpensive and in which the blades may quickly be placed and successively replaced with a minimum of effort.

The means by which the foregoin and other objects are accomplished, and the manner of their accomplishments will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the shaver substantially full size.

Figs. 2 through 12, 14 and 15 are approximately double size.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the cutting head of the shaver.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding fragmentary view of the upper end of the front of the shell of the shaver.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of the cutting head of the shaver.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of Fig. 8 with a blade in cutting position.

Figs. 5A and 5B are fragmentary sectional elevations of the cutting head showing steps in movement of the blades to cutting position.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the shaver with the knob and foreground side of the case removed.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the head end of the shaver taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a face view of a fragmentary portion of the blade strip.

Fig. 10 is a corresponding sectional view on the line X-X of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a face view of an alternate type of blade strip.

Fig. 12 is a corresponding edge view of the modified strip.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view taken on the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12 showing detail of the blade and blade strip connection.

Fig. 14 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line XIVXIV of Fig. 15 showing the head end of the shaver and modified blade strip.

Fig. 15 is a corresponding sectional view taken on. the line XVXV of Fig. 14.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

The case preferably comprises sides 20 and a continuous sheet-like wall forming the front 22, bottom end 24, back 26 and top end 28 of the case. The sides 20 each have an inwardl projecting guide rib extending substantially entirely therearound, the ribs having front portions 30, lower portions 38A, back portions 39B and top portions 300, against which the continuous front, back and end walls 22, 26, 24 and 28 respectively seat, the ribs, generally hereinafter referred to as the ribs 30, being offset inward from the edges of the sides against which the edges of the walls seat. The sides may be apertured as at 20A (Fig. 6) to receive rivets 32 by which they are held seated against the edges of the walls, or the edges of the walls and ends may be integrated or otherwise secured. The upper end of the front wall 22 terminates slightly below the top of the case and along its opposite edges has narrow portions 22A which are first bent out-- Ward and thence reversely bent inward in substantially U-shape to form blade engaging notches 22B, these portions thence having inward and upward guide extensions 22C. Between the edge portions 22A, the upper edge of the front .wall 22 is outwardly and downwardly curved to form a guard 22D, this guard being provided with a slot 22E! extending throughout a major portion of its length to allow escape of blade cuttings and soap removed by the razor. The top wall 28 of the case extends forwardly and terminates in an edge portion 28A overlying the guard 22D, and with this guard forms a holder for the cutting edge of the blade.

The belt-like strip of blades comprises a sheet 34 of thin steel adapted to be sharpened and tempered, which is stamped out at uniform intervals to form a succession of blades 36 which extend sheet and strips leaving the rear portion only of the blades attached. Adjacent the edge strips the blades are provided additionally with notches 36A, and between these notches are sharpened to provide cutting edges 36B. Centrally each of the blades is provided with an aperture 360.

The sides are provided adjacent their upper ends with axially alined openings in which is journalled a cross shaft 40 on which is secured a sprocket wheel 42 having; teeth 42A adapted for engagement with the holes 360 in the blades. Outside the case a knob 44, through which the shaft and sprocket may be manually manipulated, is secured on the shaft. The ribs are of width to project inward from the sides 20 beyond the edge strips 38- of the blades and into adjacency to the sharpened edges 36B of the blades, and form guides which engage the notched edge portions 3%. of the blades and prevent contact of the sharpened edges of the blades with the wall portions of the case, this being particularly necessary at the curved upper and lower ends of the case.

The blade belt is preferably of such length that it lies closely along the inner surfaces of the guide ribs 30. and is flexed and guided thereby,

the shaft 40 and sprocket 42 being preferably spaced from the upper end of the case so that the sprocket effects the shift of the blade belt but does not control or restrict its flexing. The guide ribs are interrupted at the level of the top of the front wall 22 and the blade engaging notches 22B thereof to allow forward projection of the blades into these notches.

In Figs. 12 and 13 an alternate form of blade belt is shown in which the blades 56 are individually formed and are secured to side strips 52 by rivets 54. Preferably the rivets 54 are hollow, the openings therethrough being adapted to serve in lieu of the holes 36C heretofore shown. Where these. hollow rivets are used the blade belt is shifted by dual sprockets 56, which as before are carried by a shaft 58 and manually manipulated by the knob 44 as before. The sprockets 56 carry projecting pins. 62 which are of size and pitch to. engage the successive rivets of the belt. The sprockets are. positioned to substantially hold the blade belt against the guides 3&1 around the upper end of the case but may be positioned away therefrom as before.

In constructing the razor, strips of thin steel of a quality which permits sharpening to razor edge and hardening are punched, to form the blades 36 partially detached from the side strips 38, and eventually are cut into lengths and the ends joined to form the continuous belt of blades 34. Dur ng the operation the blades are deflected and sharpened to form the cutting edges 3613. The shaft. 40 with the sprocket wheel d2 thereon is engaged with the belt. The belt and pulley assembly is housed in the wall portions 22, 24, etc., of the case and the two sides 20 engaged with the shaft, brought to position in engagement with the case wall and secured either by the rivets 32 or otherwise as may be desired, and so assembled the shaver is packaged and distributed. Substantially the same operations are performed in assembling the alternate form of the razor shown in Figs. 11 through 15.

In use the knob 44 is turned in direction to move the back edge of the blades 35 upward along the front wall 22 of the case. In this movement the side strips 38 of the blade belt and the notched ends only of the blades slide upward along the guide rib portions 30. The rib portions 39A and 306 at the bottom and top of the case restrain outward deflection of the edges of the blades as the. belt is curved at its upper and lower ends by these ribs. As the bladesv slide along the guide ribs 30 each successively reaches the position shown in Fig. 5A above which the notched portions 36A of the blades which are shown held by the guide ribs, are released and the blade allowed to straighten against the underside of the guide rib, portions 311C as shown in Fig. 5B. Direction of rotation of the knob 44 and the sprocket 40 is then reversed and the blade is shifted forward with the upper end portions 300 of the guide rib deflecting the notched portion of the blade into the notches 22B of the wall guide strips, and through the opening between the top wall, 28 and the upper end of the front wall 22 of the case and into cutting position, the notches 22B limiting this movement to exactly position the blade in proper cutting position, and the shaver is ready for use. As shaving progresses and the cutting edge of the blade becomes dull the knob 44 is again turned to bring an additional blade to position, this movement retracting the used blade from cutting position. After all the blades have become dull the entire shaver is thrown away and a new one brought into use. In emergency to complete a shave all of the used blades may be tried successively, some one of them ordinarily being found sumciently sharp to be further used.

It will be understood thatv use of the alternate, form of the device is. substantially identical with that above described.

It will further be. understood that the material of which the case isv made may be metal, plastic, or otherwise as desired.

It will further be understood that the guide ribs need only extend along those portions of the case at and adjacent to its ends, in which curvature tends to deflect the blade edges toward wall contact.

It will also be understood that. the term stamping used in the specification is intended to include any means by which severing of the blades from each other and in part from the side strips is accomplished.

I claim:

1. In a magazine razor, an elongated casing of substantially rectangular cross section having sides, front and back walls and arcuate end walls, and guide ribs extending along the junctions of said walls with said sides, said walls and said ribs being apertured adjacent the junction of said front and the upper of said end walls to form a blade slot and having outwardly extending guard portions above and below said slot; a shaft journalled in said sides and extending beyond one thereof, a sprocket and a manually manipulatable knob secured on said shaft respectively within and without said casing; an endless belt of thin sheet steel of width to extend from side to side of said casing and of length to slidably contact said guide ribs, said belt being transversely cut to separate it into a plurality of blades and establish the forward and rear edges. of said blades,

and being longitudinally cut rearwardly less than blade width along opposite sides to sever forward portion only of said blades. from side strips of said belt, said longitudinal cuts being spaced inwardly from the sides of said belt less than the projection of said ribs inward from said sides, and said transverse cuts extending only from side out to side out said blades. being apertured for n ment with the teeth of said sprock t.

2. In a magazine razor, an elongated casing of substantially rectangular cross section having sides, front and back walls and arcuate end walls, and guide ribs extending along the junctions of said end walls and the upper end of said front wall with said sides, said walls and said ribs being apertured adjacent the junction of said front and the upper of said end walls to form a blade slot and having outwardly extending guard portions above and below said slot; a shaft journalled in said sides and extending beyond one thereof, a

sprocket and a manually manipulatable knob secured on said shaft respectively within and without said casing; an endless belt of thin sheet steel of width to extend from side to side of said casing and of length to slidably contact said guide ribs, said belt being transversely cut to separate it into a plurality of blades and establish the forward and rear edges of said blades, and being longitudinally cut rearwardly less than blade width along opposite belt sides to sever forward portion only of said blades from side strips of said belt, said cuts being spaced inwardly from the sides of said belt less than the projection of said ribs inward from said sides, and said transverse cuts extending only from side out to side out, said blade being apertured for sprocket engagement.

3. In a magazine razor, an elongated casing of substantially rectangular cross section having sides, front and back walls and arcuate end walls, and guide ribs extending along the junctions of said sides with said end walls and adjacent portions of said front and back walls, said walls and said ribs being apertured adjacent the junction of said front and the upper of said end walls to form a blade slot; a shaft journalled in said sides and extending beyond one thereof, a sprocket and a manually manipulatable knob secured on said shaft respectively within and without said casing; an endless belt of thin sheet steel of width to extend from side to side of said casing and of length to slidably contact said guide ribs, said belt being transversely and longitudinally cut to separate the belt into a plurality of blades and blade carrying side strips, and said blades being apertured for sprocket engagement, said longitudinal cuts being spaced inwardly from the sides of said belt less than the projection of said ribs inward from said sides, and extending rearwardly from the forward edges of said blades less than the width of said blades and said transverse cuts extending between said longitudinal cuts.

4. In a magazine razor, an elongated casing of substantially-rectangular cross section having sides, front and back walls and arcuate end walls, and guide ribs extending along the junctions of said sides with said end walls and adjacent portions of said front and back walls, said walls and said ribs being apertured adjacent the junction of said front and the upper of said end walls to form a blade slot; a shaft journalled to said sides and extending beyond one thereof, a sprocket and a manually manipulatable knob secured on said shaft respectively within and without said casing; an endless belt of thin sheet steel of width to extend from side to side of said casing and of length to slidably contact said guide ribs, said belt being transversely and longitudinally cut to separate the belt into a plurality of blades and blade carrying side strips, and said blades being apertured for sprocket engagement, said longitudinal cuts being spaced inwardly from the sides of said belt less than the projection of said ribs inward from said sides, and extending rearwardly from the forward edges of 6 said blades less than the width of said blades and said transverse cuts extending between said longitudinal cuts, the forward edges of said blades being cut away adjacent said side strips to shorten and relieve said forward edges from engagement with said guide ribs.

5. In a magazine razor, an elongated casing of substantially rectangular cross section having sides, front and back walls and arcuate end Walls,

'- and guide ribs extending along the junctions of said sides with said end walls and adjacent portions of said front and back walls; and endless flexible belt disposed within said casing and means for manually shiftin said belt and blades; said belt being of width to extend from side to side of said casing and of length to slidably contact said guide ribs and including a plurality of transversely disposed flexible blades, said walls and ribs being apertured adjacent the junction of said front and upper end walls to form a blade slot, and having outwardly blade guard portions over and underlying said slot, one of said guard portions including blade embracing stops at the opposite ends of said slot.

6. In a magazine razor, an elongated casing of substantially rectangular cross section having sides, front and back walls and arcuate end walls, and guide ribs along the junctions of said walls with said sides, said walls and said ribs being apertured adjacent the junction of said front and upper of said end walls to form a blade slot; a shaft journalled in said sides and extendin beyond one thereof, sprocket means and a manually manipulatable knob secured on said shaft respectively within and without said casing; an endless flexible belt of width to extend from side to side of said casing and of length to slidably contact said guide ribs, said belt including transversely disposed flexible blades, and continuous strips respectively carrying the opposite ends of said blades, the forward portions only of said blades being detached at their ends from said strips and flexible independently of said strips, said strips being of less width than the projecz. tion of said ribs inward from said sides.

7'. In a magazine razor, an elongated casing of substantially rectangular cross section having sides, front and back walls and arcuate end walls, and guide ribs, at least along the junctions I of said sides with said end walls, and said front and back walls adjacent to said end walls, said walls and said ribs being apertured adjacent the junction of said front and the upper of said end walls to form a blade slot; a shaft journalled in said sides and extending beyond one thereof, sprocket means and a manually manipulatable knob secured on said shaft respectively within and without said casing; and endless flexible belt of width to extend from side to side of said casing and of length to slidably contact said guide ribs, said belt including transversely disposed flexible blades having sharpened forward edge portions, and continuous strips respectively carrying the opposite ends of said blades, and having engagement with the rearward only of said blades, whereby the forward portions of said blades are flexible independently of said strips, said ribs projecting inward from said sides into guiding relation with end portions of said blades, the sharpened edge portions of said blades overlying said ribs being cut away.

PHILIP H. BORDEN.

No references cited. 

